Album
Rage Against The Machine
1992 · Hip Hop, Rock
247 collectors on Gatefold own this
Rage Against The Machine is an Alt/Indie album by Rage Against The Machine, originally released in 1992. On Gatefold: 224 pressings tracked, owned by 247 collectors.
About
<b>100 Best Albums</b> It’d be interesting to know just how many suburban kids learned about Che Guevara, or that the FBI targeted Martin Luther King for his opposition to the Vietnam War, from <i>Rage Against the Machine</i>. It isn’t that its politics are obscure. If anything, part of the reason the album remains so powerful is the way it captures the generalized angst kids feel toward parents (“F**k you, I won’t do what you tell me!”) while also pointing at broader forms of control regarding education (“Take the Power Back”), law enforcement (“Killing in the Name”), and the carceral system (“Settle for Nothing”). Like Nirvana’s <i>Nevermind</i> or even the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ <i>Blood Sugar Sex Magik</i>, it reshaped ’90s rock and helped bring underground styles into the mainstream. It also plugs into a world beyond itself—the kind of music you can take to the gym but also build a syllabus around. Like the revolutionaries, MCs, and hard rock that inspired it, <i>Rage Against the Machine</i> exists in all caps. Its most lasting lyrics—“Some of those that work forces/Are the same that burn crosses” (“Killing in the Name”), “Anger is a gift” (“Freedom”)—have the instant memorability of a protest chant; its riffs democratize their anger, having been stripped of the flashy, technical stuff and restored to the Black blues they come from. The immediacy isn’t just a metaphor for their message; it’s a functional way to spread the word and put power into the hands of the people: Why bother learning “Stairway to Heaven” when you can just learn “Bombtrack”? It’s easy to see the ironies of a multi-platinum band advocating for radical left politics. But the music business has always found ways to monetize rebellion, from Elvis to John Lennon to the Sex Pistols. <i>Rage Against the Machine</i> transcends its contradictions by standing inside them and giving itself over anyway. Guitarist Tom Morello remembers a record executive hearing the band practice “Killing in the Name” as Zack de la Rocha screamed, “F**k you, I won’t do what you tell me!” 16 times. The exec sheepishly asked if this was the direction that they were going in. Yes, Morello said, it was. But just remember: He didn’t have to.
via Apple Music
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Tracklist
Side A
- A1Bombtrack4:04
- A2Killing In The Name5:13
- A3Take The Power Back5:36
- A4Settle For Nothing4:47
- A5Bullet In The Head4:46
Side B
- B1Know Your Enemy4:54
- B2Wake Up6:04
- B3Fistful Of Steel5:30
- B4Township Rebellion5:24
- B5Freedom6:06
Sound DNA
- Alt/Indie
- Alternative Rock
- crunchy
- defiant
- political
Originally released on November 3, 1992 by Epic Records.
The band released their demo also Rage Against The Machine (US 1991) (opens in a new tab), 11 months prior which contained earlier recordings of 7 out of 12 songs found on this album.
With politically themed lyrical content, the album artwork was notable for featuring a graphic photograph of Thích Quảng Đức committing self-immolation. Rage Against the Machine was a critical success upon release with several critics noting the album's politically motivated agenda as well as de la Rocha's strong delivery.
Rated number 24 on the Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time", the album peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart and number 45 on the US Billboard 200 and has gone on to achieve triple platinum sales certification in the US and produced four singles:
"Killing In The Name"
"Bullet In The Head"
"Bombtrack"
"Freedom"
The band announced on October 9, 2012, via their Facebook page that they would be releasing a special 20th anniversary boxset to commemorate the group's debut album. The boxset contains never-before-released concert material, including the band's 2010 Finsbury Park show and footage from early in their career, as well as a digitally-remastered version of the album, B-sides and the original Rage Against The Machine (US 1991) (opens in a new tab) demo tape (on CD for the first time). The collection was released on November 27, 2012.
How to find the correct CD-version with catalogue number containing '472224 2':
Versions manufactured by DADC Austria, most of them released before April 1994.
The next three versions are believed to be the initial releases from 1992:
- Version without DADC logo and silver disc (opens in a new tab), BIEM/STEMRA, CB 791 and no SID-codes. Inner ring without etching.
- Version without DADC logo and silver disc (opens in a new tab), BIEM/STEMRA, CB 791 and no SID-codes. Inner ring with star etching.
- Version without DADC logo and blue striped disc (opens in a new tab), BIEM/STEMRA, CB 791 and no SID-codes. Inner ring without etching.
The next three versions are considered to be early repress versions from 1993 and early 1994:
- Version with DADC logo with mould star, CB 791 (opens in a new tab), BIEM and no SID-codes.
- Version with DADC logo, CB 811 (opens in a new tab), BIEM, empty inner ring and no SID-codes.
The next version is the 'youngest' DADC repress version and was made around 1994:
- Version with DADC logo and mould SID-code (opens in a new tab), CB 811 and BIEM.
Versions manufactured by Sony Music, most of them were released after April 1994.
One version is listed without SID-codes:
- Version with 'Sony Music' in matrix and without SID-codes (opens in a new tab), BIEM and without noted CB-code.
Two versions with Mould SID-code only:
- Version with 'Sony Music' in matrix and mould SID-code (opens in a new tab), BIEM, CB 811 and Made in Austria.
- Version with 'Sony Music' in matrix and mould SID-code (opens in a new tab), BIEM, CB 811 and without Made in Austria.
Four versions are with both SID-codes displaying:
- Version with 'S01..' in matrix and CB 791 (opens in a new tab), both SID-codes and BIEM.
- Version with 'S01..' in matrix and CB 770 (opens in a new tab), both SID-codes and BIEM.
- Version with 'S01..' in matrix and no CB-code, no 'Made in Austria' on disc (opens in a new tab), both SID-codes and BIEM.
- Version with 'S01..' in matrix and no CB-code, 'Made in Austria' on disc (opens in a new tab), both SID-codes and BIEM.
Six further versions, which are easier to distinguish:
- Version with bonus disc (opens in a new tab)
- SMEA version from Australia (opens in a new tab)
- Vinyl artwork version with CB770 and BIEM/GEMA (opens in a new tab)
- Vinyl classic series version with SACEM/BIEM (opens in a new tab)
- Argentinian version with TELTRON in matrix (opens in a new tab)
- SMEA version from Australia (opens in a new tab)
- BIEM Digipak version (opens in a new tab)
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- Brad WilkBAND , DRUMS DRUMS PERFORMER , DRUMS
- Stephen PerkinsPERCUSSION
- Tim CommerfordBAND , BASS BASS PERFORMER , BASS
- Timmy CBASS
- Tom MorelloBAND , GUITAR ELECTRIC GUITAR GUITAR
- Zack de la RochaVOCALS, LYRICS BY BAND , VOCALS PERFORMER , VOCALS
- Maynard James KeenanVOCALS
247 collectors on Gatefold own this · 224 pressings tracked on Gatefold
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